THE proposal by MIC president Tan Sri A. Vigneswaran to prorogue Parliament is a thinly disguised lifeline to Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin’s sinking government, and deserves condemnation by all Malaysians who want to preserve our democratic practices.
Vigneswaran’s interpretation of “prorogation” is to suspend Parliament to allow the current government to continue its rule without having to face parliamentary scrutiny, and avoid its majority being tested on the parliamentary floor and also a general election.
It is a subversion of democracy, and will allow a government that was not democratically elected to hide behind the veil of prorogation in order to prolong its shelf life.
The call for Parliament to be suspended is the most dangerous thing we heard in the past week. Malaysia’s fledgling democracy will be under threat just to keep a government alive.
It is a most irresponsible act for any political party that is still interested in participating in elections to make such calls.
Barisan Nasional secretary-general Tan Sri Annuar Musa has refuted Vigneswaran and dissociated BN from Vigneswaran’s suggestion.
But, I know, and I have heard, such talk in high places.
It is a dangerous moment for the nation. If this is allowed to happen, it will be the first step down a slippery slope for the sitting government to circumvent the democratic process for its political purposes.
I hope more people will condemn such ideas, and I urge Muhyiddin to rule out the possibility of suspending Parliament. I hope he will assure the rakyat that he will not kill democracy in order to keep his PM-ship alive.
No one is above the law, and no one should attempt to subvert the spirit of the constitution.
Attempting to subvert Malaysian democracy just to keep the prime minister in office, knowing that he may lose a parliamentary vote, is going to harm the nation for generations. – The Vibes, October 17, 2020
Liew Chin Tong is a senator and former deputy defence minister
